Google Announces Android Wear; Brings Android To Wearables

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced the introduction of Android Wear today, a brand new initiative by the search engine giant that will bring the Android operating system to wearables like smartwatches.

Google to first concentrate on watches with Android Wear

To start with, Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) will be concentrating on watches, and has also released a Developer Preview so that developers can tailor their existing app notifications for watches powered by Android Wear. The company has partnered with several consumer electronics manufacturers including Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung, and also with chip makers such as Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek and Qualcomm, as well as fashion brands like Fossil Group.

Developers who’re interested in learning more about the Android Wear can head over to developer.android.com/wear. Google claims that “because Android for wearables works with Android’s rich notification system, many apps will already work well.” More developer resources and APIs will be posted soon on this new section of the website.

The company has announced that you can expect watches powered by Android Wear “later this year.” The short timeline suggests the project is already in a relatively mature form.

Android Wear is not just for smartwatches, but for all types of wearable devices. At the Google I/O 2014 conference, which is scheduled to be held on June 25 in San Francisco, we’ll most likely be able to learn more details about Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s plans for developing and utilizing this new platform for wearables.

This is not the first time that a company has taken advantage of the Android platform for smartwatches. Samsung has already debuted its Galaxy Gear smartwatch, but it was not well received. The Galaxy Gear was later replaced by the Galaxy Gear 2 that runs on Tizen OS instead of Android. Many consumers have high hopes for Google wearable technology, as the firm has a solid reputation for bringing successful products to the market, such as the Nexus lineup, for example.

Author: Saqib KhanSaqib is a technology writer, contributing news and how-to's. He thinks tech all the time, even when dreaming. Besides writing on ValueWalk, he also writes on Technostarry. You can reach him via Twitter.